The Federal Government has suspended the implementation of its concession arrangement for King’s College, Lagos, with the school’s Old Boys’ Association for two weeks.
The decision followed an emergency meeting between the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, and labour unions at the ministry on Wednesday.
The meeting also produced an agreement for the immediate suspension of industrial action linked to the concession dispute. The parties agreed that no member of staff would face victimisation for participating in the industrial action.
As part of the resolutions, policemen deployed to the school premises are to be withdrawn, while a seven-member committee has been constituted to hold further discussions with the King’s College Old Boys’ Association (KCOBA) on the concession arrangement.
The dispute has generated tension at the Lagos school in recent weeks, with parents and teachers protesting against the proposed transfer of aspects of the institution’s management to KCOBA under the agreement with the government.
The situation escalated on Monday following the resumption of unity colleges nationwide, when members of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) began industrial action over the concession arrangement.
The action disrupted activities at unity colleges across the country, prompting Alausa to summon an emergency meeting with the unions, including the leadership of the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
After the meeting, the TUC appealed to ASCSN to suspend the industrial action, while the education minister directed staff and students of unity colleges to return to school the following day.
At King’s College, however, staff and parents prevented representatives of KCOBA from entering the premises to carry out activities.
The confrontation reportedly resulted in a fracas, leading to the deployment of personnel from the Lagos State Police Command to the school.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, Alausa said the government had invited the unions for further talks on the matter.
He said the discussions were subject to ministry workers returning to their offices and ensuring that access to the ministry’s premises was not obstructed.
Alausa explained that the proposed arrangement with KCOBA was designed to attract additional resources for the rehabilitation and modernisation of King’s College while maintaining government ownership of the school.
The minister, however, ruled out extending the concession model to other unity colleges.
The two-week suspension is expected to provide an opportunity for the newly established committee and stakeholders to review the arrangement and seek a resolution to the dispute.
